Improvement in crossing the fibers in forming the bats for felt cloth



.the warp is by means of endless chains carry- `it has to be released in order to be deposited -some portions of the material to fall or slip `duty only certain kinds of material can be em- "iinrrnn Sra'rns PATENT Nmiren..-

A. c. Anxotnf or NORWALK, ooNN'EorrcUr.-

IMPROVEMENT IN CROSSING THE FIBERS IN .FORMING THE BATS`FOR FELT CLOTH, 6rd.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. ,l47,datcd June l0, 1851.

T0 all whom, it may concern: l Be it known that I, A. C. ARNOLD, of N orwalk, in the county of Fairlield and State of Connecticut, have invented a new and useful improvement in machinery for manufacturing felt cloth of wool, cotton, or other brous material, and for carrying webs of any fibrous materials; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an elevation of the machinery. Fig. 2 is a plan or birds-eye view of that part of the same to which my invention relates.` Fig. 3 is a vertical section through the line x of Fig. 2, looking from the opposite side of Fig. l. Fig. 4 is a vertical section through the line of Fig. 2. Fig. 5 is a horizontal section of the vacuum-box and tubes communicating with the apparatus for producing the vacuum. Figs. G and 7 are sections, taken at right angles to each other, of the vacuum-pipe.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each of the several iigures.

My invention relates to a new and improved mode of carrying webs or sheets oi iibrous material, and when employed in the manufacture of felt cloth is for thepurpose of carrying the weft across and depositing it upon the warp. Felt cloth is manufactured by crossing the fieeces or cardings of wool from two cardingmachines, and then pressing, blending, or matting them together into a sheet of compact texture. The warp is carried from one machine on the top of the apron, and the weft, in order to be deposited on the warp, must be carried from the other machine above the warp. The usual mode of conveying the weft across ing combs with hooked teeth, from which teeth on the warp. These teeth frequently allow off too soon7 and in consequence of the ineffectual manner in which they perform their ployed in the manufacture, as some material'- cotton, for instance-cannot be fcarried by them. They also very frequently cause a broken weft, which produces unevenness and thick Vand thin places in the cloth. This dit` 4tion here.

culty` I design to obviate by my improve ment, which consists in the employment of an apronl of some material pervious to air-as, for instance, hair-cloth. Between the rollers of this apron and between its upper and lower folds I place a hollow box or chamber, which nearly lls the entire space. The bottom of this box is thickly perforated-all over with y small holes, and it communicates by pipes from one or both sides with a fan-bloweror other apparatus capable of withdrawing the with the blower being suddenly cut off and the air admitted to the box at the same moment, the material is thrown from the apron by the sudden rush of air through the apron in the opposite direction, in addition to its liability to fall by its own weight.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe fully its construction and operation.

The cardingmachine represented in Fig. l, which supplies the iieece or carding forthe weft, does not differ from other machines in use, and therefore needs no particular descrip- That which supplies the warp is not shown.

A A (represented of a red color) is the apron which carries the warp, which is the same as usually employed. It moves in direction oil the arrows l, Figs. 2 and 4, and carries the warp on the top.

B B (also of a red color) is the apron carrying the weft,which, as has been before stated, is of material pervious toair. It runs on two rollers, a a', in a frame, C C, supported above the frame carrying the warp-apron. rIhe apron B B receives motion in the direction of arrows 2 2, Figs. 1, 2, and 3, through roller c by a band, b, from a pulley, c, on the shaft d of the doffer I) of the carding-machine.

E is Ythe vacuum-box, which is made of any sheet metal, and is of a length nearly equal to the space between the rollers c a, of the the inside of the vacuum-box.

width of the warp and of adepth nearly equal to the space between the upper and lower folds of the apron. lts bottom, perforated all over with holes c c c c, touches or nearly touches the lower fold of the apron. A rotary fan in a box, F, is placed near the machine or in any suitable position for operating on sev eral machines at the same time. A pipe, G, proceeds upward from the box of the fan, having a pipe, H, leading from it near the top, which communicates by branch pipes ff with In the lower part of the pipe G there is a throttle-valve, s, which closes or opens the communication between `the vacuunrbox E. This valve has a lcver, g, on its spindle, which is connected by a rod, 7L, to a longarm, t', of a lever hung on'a fixed'fulcruin, j, on the side of the frame of the carding-en'gine, the same lever having a shorter curved arm, 7c, set atnearly a right angle to the arm The top of the pipe G is open, but is covered by a valve, Z, having two guide-rods, n; or, one on each side, passing through ears on the outside of the pipe. The rod a iselongated below the ear and connected tot one arm; of -a lever, m, having its fulcrum in a standard, o, and having two arms of equal length', the opposite arm being connected by arod, p, to the arm t' of the lever, to which the throttle-valve is connected. A spring, q', securedl to the frame which carries the aprons `A A and B B, always bears under the end of thel lever-arm@l and keeps it raised, causing the rod'p to raise the end of the lever m, to which it is attached, and throw down the opposit'e end, causing the rod a to close the valve Z until it is opened by the means hereinafter shown in the description of the operation of the machine. The throttle-valve s is so arranged that it is always open when the valve lis( closed, so as to'leave a free communication' from the box E through the pipes f f H G to the box F containing the fan, or to any apparatusthat may be employed for producing av vacuum.

QI is a toothed wheel. Yon the doffer-shaft, thrpugh which the doffer receives its motion. Itcarries a small stud, 11,' on its outer face, which, during the revolution of the wheel', strikes the arm k of the lever 'L' k. c@ t is a ap composed of a flat board or plate of the whole width of the doffer. It is hungl on pivots or hinges c c on each side of the frame. It also has a lever, fw, attached to one end, which is struck by a pin, x, on the endof the doffer once during its revolution, so as to throw up the flap suddenly toward the apron B B.

The operation of the machinery, exccpt'as far as the mode of confining the weft below the apron is considered, is the same as in other machines employed for the same purpose. Therefore, I will proceed to describe the manner in which the weft is controlled.

The fan or other apparatus for producing the vacuum must be constant in its operation,

so as to keep a constant draft or rush of air 'across' its upper face.

through the apron in the box E. The doffer makes one. revolution for every sheet of weft that is formed, and therefore must correspond in diameter with the width of the warp. The warp travels a distance equal to the width of the weft during the time the weft is traveling The motion of both aprons is continuous, and the carding is taken from the doffer in the usual manner, from whence it proceeds to the under surface of the apron, where it is conned by the pressure of the atmosphere. The speed of the apron B B is lsuch as to take a sheet of carding produced by one revolution of the doffer D and carry it to a proper position for depositing on thc warp during the timethe warp movesa distance equal to the width of the weft. There is a space'left in the card' on the doffer, which causes a break in the carding when a sheet is formed of the proper length, and as soon'as this space comes opposite the apron the pin 1' on the wheel strikes the arm 7c' andthrows down` the arm i of the lever c' 7c tothe position lever m causes the rod a to open the valve Z,

both valves being actuated simultaneously.

v Thus the sheet is thrown from the apron B B suddenly, and deposited on the warp by the sudden currentl of air, which rushes through the top ofthe pipe G, escaping through the bottom of the box E and through theapron. The valves remain in the position last shown but an instant or a very short space of time, for as soon as the pin o' passes the arm 7c the spring p raises the arm i and brings the valves to the' position first described, the air entering the vacuum-box .E through the apron B B, the space in the doffer on which there are no cards having then passed the takeoff. The carding or web again commences being given off from the doffer, and the end falls tothe flap t. Just at this moment the pin strikes the lever w and throws up the iiap, throwing the carding up to the apron, where it is retained, and the operation proceeds, as before described, the flap falling after the pin x passes the lever. This mode of carrying webs may bev employed effectually for any iibrous material, and will be found advantageous from its not injuring,

perforating, or tearing it.

What 'I claim as new in my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The employment, for the purpose of carrying webs, sheets, or layers of any fibrous material, of an apron, B B, of material pervious to air, having a box, E, in which avacuum is produced, placed at the back, the side of throwing off or releasing the material from 2. The flap t operating in the manner and the apron by suddenlyr closing ,the Valve s in for the purposes substantially as herein specithe pipe G, communicating between the box E ned.

and the apparatus for producing the Vacuum, l ALONZO C. ARNOLD. and at the same time opening the Valve Z in the Vitnesses: said pipe to admit air into the box, or by any O. D. MUNN, v means substantially the same. S. H. VALES. 

